Agent path
AI setup
agent-ui has a deliberately small agent-facing setup path. It does not require a package install, framework, build step, or MCP server.
1. Read the catalog
Open docs/catalog.json. It lists every MVP component's purpose, states, dependencies, canonical paths, events, and host-owned responsibilities. Repository-level AGENTS.md carries the same conventions.
2. Copy this prompt
Build this agentic interface with agent-ui source files. First read docs/catalog.json and choose the smallest matching recipe or component. Copy tokens.css, the recipe stylesheets[] (including host-chrome.css when listed), and only the required component markup. Use semantic HTML, native forms, the shared data-au-* vocabulary, and the documented data-au-state values. Keep the host responsible for execution, authorization, persistence, validation, and state transitions. Treat model output, tool arguments, and tool output as untrusted text and escape it before insertion. Keep the no-JS path usable. Do not add React, Tailwind, a bundler, external assets, fonts, analytics, or runtime network requests. Exclude setup.docs_only_assets. After implementation, run node scripts/check-all.js and, when a browser is available, node scripts/check-browser.js.
3. Choose the shortest path
- Complete first screen: chat-tools starter (aliases the canonical showcase run)
- Canonical host composition: showcase/chat-run
- Streaming conversation: chat-streaming
- Tool approval: tool-approval
- Question and resume: question-resume
Resolved stylesheet lists live on each recipe in the catalog as stylesheets[]. Optional one-link CSS: recipes/chat-tools.css (still copy tokens.css). Optional copy command: node scripts/copy-recipe.js chat-tools ./vendor/agent-ui. Exclude assets listed in setup.docs_only_assets.
4. Keep the trust boundary visible
agent-ui renders state. The host owns execution, authorization, persistence, validation, and server responses. Approval is only valid for the immutable action ID and exact serialized arguments shown to the user.
5. Verify before handing off
node scripts/check-all.js
node scripts/check-browser.js
The checks cover generated-document drift, catalog drift, SEO artifacts, no-JS fixtures, accessibility, contrast, links, size budgets, recipe contracts, and browser behavior.